It took five different lead changes and a grind-it-out fourth quarter, but the New York Knicks, led by Jalen Brunson, won their fifth straight game, beating the Denver Nuggets 122-112 at MSG Wednesday night. Brunson ended the game with a double-double, scoring 30 points and 15 assists, leading the way for all Knicks scorers.
All five Knicks starters finished the game in double figures due to Brunson being able to spread the ball around. Karl-Anthony Towns had a double-double of his own, putting up 14 points and 10 rebounds with the team gelling as good as they have all year ahead of next week’s Trade Deadline.
Winning The Turnover Battle
Brunson and Josh Hart led the way, combining for five of the team’s seven steals and 14 total takeaways on the night. New York scored 23 points off those turnovers, significantly impacting the game and continuing their strong defensive stretch.
Brunson Beauty
In the third quarter, Jamal Murray and the Nuggets began to come alive as Denver chipped away at the New York lead. Nikola Jokic entered foul trouble within the first two minutes of the game, which helped the Knicks jump out to an 18-6 lead after a huge 15-0 run right out of the gates.
With Denver closing in, Jalen Brunson began to light up the Garden. He helped the Knicks go on a run to close out the quarter, giving them a 93-86 edge heading into the fourth. Brunson’s 18 points in the quarter had a significant impact as the game wound down, as Denver began to focus on him. Brunson began finding open teammates, and the Knicks closed the game strongly behind his leadership.
When asked about his teammate’s leadership and how he closed out the half, Josh Hart said: “ Being able to end the third the way we did, it was huge for us. Obviously, [Brunson] gave us a big cushion going into the fourth.”
Up Next
The Los Angeles Lakers and Lebron James come to the Big Apple on Saturday night for an 8:30 tipoff at the Garden. The Knicks will look to win their sixth game in a row and their third on this homestand.
